(informal) ruin a plan or what is being done;
change how things are or are being done, often unexpectedly;
ruin or
mix up another person's
success or plan for
success. This
phrase comes from the
fact that until the nineteenth century roads were generally
rough and streets were narrow. For country people, the mere
act of getting themselves and their
goods to
market safely over considerable distances was quite an achievement. One can
imagine how annoyed they must have been when the carts containing their precious
produce were toppled over, particularly if they had perishable
items such as apples, which would become damaged when scattered and
ruin the hopes of a profitable
sale.